The present invention relates to a fuser of an electrostatic printer, and more particularly, to an integrated fuser connector and alignment elements.
The process of transferring an electrostatic latent imatg in an electrostatic printer includes the step of first forming an image on the surface of a dielectric receptor by selectively discharging the surface of the receptor by a suitable ion projection device. The latent electrostatic image on the receptor is then suitably developed with a toner material, transferred to a copy sheet by bringing the copy sheet into intimate contact with the developed image on the receptor, and then fixing the toner image to the copy sheet in a fuser device.
A fuser device is a relatively complicated mechanism requiring various electrical connections and contacts from a power source to the heating element such as a heating lamp, to a fuse or thermal cut-off device, and to a thermister or temperature sensor to monitor the fuser temperature. In addition, the heating element must be properly located with respect to the fuser roll, and the thermal cut-off device and other electrical components must be properly aligned and mounted with respect to the fuser roll.
Various integrated connector and conducting strip arrangements are disclosed in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,092,562 discloses a compact integral assembled lamp unit including end connectors for connecting a plurality of lamps together. U.S Pat. No. 4,353,610 discloses an electrical conducting strip including a plurality of spaced apart opening arrangements adapted to connect to terminal posts. Each opening arrangement includes an access opening and an engaging opening. U.S. Pat. No. 4,504,891 discloses a molded plastic plate holding lamp socket contacts and wiring connector pins, and a printed wiring circuit plate making electrical contact with the socket contacts and the connector pins through mechanical pressure contact. The wiring and electrical connections in the above systems can be relatively complicated and require a relatively complex assembly operation.
It would be desirable, therefore, in a fuser heating system to eliminate conductors and contacts, and simplify the internal wiring and heating element mounting.
It is an object of the present invention therefore to provide a new and improved fuser integrated electrical contact and mounting system. It is another object of the present invention to provide electrical contact strips in a fuser housng, the electrical strips providing mounting and positioning means for various electrical devices within the housing, and to provide a fuser housing having alignment means to locate the contact strips and other electrical devices within the housing. Further advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features characterizing the invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.